5 Republicans on Health Care Reform

[GoodWitch58]

this is an interesting Op-Ed piece from five Republicans on how to reform or not reform, health care.

It would be interesting to see more specifics on this--

Op-Ed Contributors - How the G.O.P. Can Fix Health Care - NYTimes.com

in a bid to reopen the debate over health care reform, President Obama has arranged a televised bipartisan meeting this Thursday. Republican leaders in Congress have been invited to bring their best ideas for slowing the growth of health care expenditures and expanding the number of insured Americans. The Op-Ed editors asked five conservative thinkers to outline what they believe those ideas should be.

 

[scooterbug44]

I agree with much of what they are saying (once you get past the opening digs at the beginning of each response), but they don't say HOW to do those things. Hopefully this is because of the response length.

When Obama had that great meeting with the GOP on TV, he told them he agreed with them on many points, but that they needed to have something specific he could take to an independent group for analysis, not just a general idea.

Definitely agree that NO SPECIAL DEALS, reducing the amount of bureaucracy, and legal reforms to keep costs down should be a large part of the process, but HOW do we do that?

 

[GoodWitch58]

I agree with much of what they are saying (once you get past the opening digs at the beginning of each response), but they don't say HOW to do those things. Hopefully this is because of the response length.

When Obama had that great meeting with the GOP on TV, he told them he agreed with them on many points, but that they needed to have something specific he could take to an independent group for analysis, not just a general idea.

Definitely agree that NO SPECIAL DEALS, reducing the amount of bureaucracy, and legal reforms to keep costs down should be a large part of the process, but HOW do we do that?

That's what I noticed too; so, it would be nice to see a more developed piece of legislation. Pres. Obama has even said to the Republicans that he would agree that "some tort reform" might be appropriate...

If the Rs would just decide to govern with him instead of trying to stop everything just because he is for it; we might get the gridlock broken and then get some reform that would be good for all citizens...

I have a neighbor who recently (starting on Christmas Day) has undergone a difficult medical situation...to date, his medical bills total over $1 million!

Even someone with decent insurance coverage finds this hard to handle--a person who does not have the means or the coverage, would have simply died about a month ago from lack of care for a traumatic illiness. It is outrageous!

 

[Matt J]

One of the comments I found most alarming was this statement:

Congress should also end the current tax exemption for employer-sponsored insurance coverage. This change would encourage people to pay more attention to the price of their health insurance. And it would provide the money that will be needed to help underwrite coverage for the uninsured.

It would also encourage people who currently have health insurance to drop it. When an employer offers health insurance they generally offer two options and that's it. One is the traditional copay plan and the other is a medical savings plan, and that's generally only a large company. For some reason the overly insured goons in congress don't seem to understand that shopping for health insurance is kinda of like shopping for a car at a Bentley dealership, you get funny looks when you ask to see the cheap stuff, and even then it would make your heart race when you saw the price tag.

I'm going to try and avoid partisanship on this thread. My solution for healthcare reform is to take it away from every member of Congress and have them go out and find their own plans. Watch it be the fastest solved problem, ever, by Congress. I would bet 50-60% of Congress wouldn't be able to qualify for health insurance in the open market.

 

[GoodWitch58]

if only we had some mechanism for taking it away--even when they lose an election, they keep the benefits!

 

[Alicia Leonard]

if only we had some mechanism for taking it away--even when they lose an election, they keep the benefits!

There has to be some way of removing it from them.

 

[scooterbug44]

There has to be some way of removing it from them.

I believe it would take an Act of Congress. They vote on their own pay raises too.

 

[Lynnie]

Does anyone know who the carrier is for Congress? Or, are they 100% self insured? Which equates to you and me footing that bill.

 

[Minnie]

Does anyone know who the carrier is for Congress? Or, are they 100% self insured? Which equates to you and me footing that bill.

It can vary. They are covered under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program which covers more than 8 million other federal employees, retirees and their families.

This link will show what plans are available by state. On average 72% of the cost is covered by the government.

Insurance Programs

 

[Lynnie]

Interesting premiums and employee obligation. I wonder if Congress could be carved out of this plan? Highly dubious. If this program covers more than 8MM employees and their families, there is some self-funding from the government. I wonder what the limits are regarding this. Either way you look at it, we are footing this bill.